


Please... make it stop

by NYWCgirl



Category: White Collar
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Headaches & Migraines, Hurt/Comfort, Medication, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-08-17 13:48:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16517672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: Neal has a migraine and Peter takes care of him.





	Please... make it stop

**Author's Note:**

> This fic fills the ‘Headaches/migraines’ square on my H/C Bingo card.

Peter stops at the curb but Neal is not waiting for him. Which is unusual since Neal tends to be punctual.

He kills the engine, throws his FBI plaque on the dash and makes his way up to Neal´s apartment. He knocks before entering, but doesn´t wait to try the doorknob. The door is unlocked and he lets himself in. The apartment is silent and Peter automatically looks towards the bed. There is a human sized lump under the covers.

‘Neal?’

When there is no movement, Peter walks over and slowly pulls the cover down until he can see a very pale face that even In sleep seems to be in pain.

‘Neal?’

Neal jerks awake and his eyes stare unfocused at Peter.

‘Peter? What are you doing here?’

‘Are you sick?’

Peter notices the thrash can next to Neal´s bed.

‘No, bad migraine.’

Peter winces, he doesn´t have experience with it himself, but he has heard stories. Neal pulls the covers back over his head. The big windows in the loft probably aren´t helping with the light sensitivity.

‘Do we need to see a doctor?’

‘No, I have my pills. I just need to sleep it off.’

‘What do you need?’

‘My pills are here, but maybe you can get me a can of coke?’

‘Coke?’

‘Yeah, caffeine helps.’

Peter takes a can of coke, some Gatorade and crackers and puts them next to Neal on the nightstand.

‘Are you sure you are going to be alright?’

There is a nod coming from under the blankets. Peter hesitates but decides that Neal has everything he needs. Before he goes, he checks whether Neal´s phone is charged. There is only 38 percent battery life left, so he plugs the charger in and after a last glance, he leaves the loft. He makes a mental note to check on Neal during lunch.

 

* * *

 

‘Peter, are you coming?’

Peter looks up from the files in front of him.

‘Coming where?’

‘Francine had her baby and we’re going for drinks?’

‘What time is it?’

Peter looks at his computer and to his horror, he sees it is already six thirty. Where did the time go? He didn´t check on Neal. Elizabeth is so right when she tells him he loses track of time when he is working.

‘Sorry, I can’t.’

He gets up and leaves in a hurry. He does his best to get to Neal at a reasonable time.

When he enters the mansion, all the lights are out and Peter hurries upstairs. It is clear Neal hasn´t been downstairs. When he opens the door, the lump on the bed is still.

‘Neal?’

There is no response, whatsoever. Peter walks up to the bed and slowly lifts the blanket, Neal is clearly asleep. His face is slack, his breathing deep and even. Peter sighs, because he can see Neal didn´t touch the crackers or coke. He takes off his coat and just as he wants to call Elizabeth, he can hear June call out to Neal, she must have arrived home.

He quickly descends the stairs to greet June. He quickly explains Neal´s condition and she promises to warm up some soup and to bring it upstairs. Peter walks back and when he enters the apartment it is clear Neal is awake by the moaning.

‘Neal? How are you feeling? Are you OK?’

‘No.’

Peter can tell by the sound of Neal´s voice that he really isn´t OK. He can hear the tears in Neal´s voice and Neal suddenly moves quickly, dashing for the bathroom.

Peter winces at the sound of hurling but he lets himself in anyway.

‘The pills didn´t work, did they?’

Neal shakes his head, ‘No they didn´t. I feel awful. Please…’

‘What can we do?’

Neal straightens out and staggers, so Peter quickly steadies him. Neal is deadly pale and shivering, scrunching his eyes closed.

‘I … I just need it to stop. I…’

It is clear Neal is in so much pain, it makes it difficult to get his thoughts organized enough to talk. Everything seems like an effort for Neal. It rattles Peter, he has never seen Neal like this.

‘OK, let´s get you back in bed.’

Peter guides a wobbly Neal to his bed and covers him. Neal immediately curls up.

‘I will be right back, OK?’

Neal doesn´t respond but peter knows Neal heard him, so he walks down again and finds June in one of the kitchens.

‘Does your physician make house calls?’

‘That bad?’

Peter nods.

‘This happened before?’

‘Let me first call doctor Monroe.’

When June comes back in, she tells Peter the doctor promised to come immediately. He is impressed, he can´t imagine his physician would come if he had a heart attack, he would probably tell him to call 911.

Within half an hour, the doctor enters the house and is take upstairs. He takes Neal´s vitals, asks how many tablets he already took and nods in understanding.

‘I will give you an antiemetic against the nausea and a sedative so you can sleep it off. The nausea probably prevented the pills to take effect.’

Neal nods in relieve, he doesn´t even question the sedative, which surprises Peter. But it is a testimony how bad he must feel.

The doctor quickly injects the two products, adds migraine medication and waits for Neal to fall asleep. Once he is out, he takes another set of vitals before turning to Peter and June.

‘He will be asleep for about four to six hours. He should feel better by then.’

‘Thank you.’

‘Always June. I will let myself out.’

He shakes their hands and leaves. Peter and June clean up the room a bit, making sure Neal has everything he needs.

‘Let´s go downstairs, we can eat that soup I promised.’

Mentioning the food, makes Peter´s stomach rumble.

‘Sounds great June, let me make a quick call to Elizabeth.’

‘Why don´t you ask if she wants to join us?’

‘’That is OK, Elizabeth is out of town for some event. She will be back on Thursday. Satchmo is with the neighbors.’

‘In that case, the guestroom on the second floor is ready, feel free to use it. There is a shaving kit and toothbrush in the bathroom.’

‘Thank you. Does Neal have migraine attacks like that often? I know he has them, but I never realized they were this bad.’

‘They normally aren´t. Neal is fairly good in knowing the difference between a headache and a migraine. If he takes his medication in time, it doesn´t get this bad, but now and then one slips past it and sort of ambushes him.’

They have the soup June heated with grilled cheese sandwiches and they end the evening with a nice cup of coffee. Before Peter retires to bed, he checks up on Neal and can see Neal is just waking up.

‘How are you feeling?’

Neal blinks slowly, it is clear that he is still under the influence of the sedative.

‘Better. I need to go to the bathroom.’

The urgency in his slurred words makes Peter help Neal out of bed. He staggers to the bathroom, while Peter steadies him. Neal nods his thanks and slowly wobble inside, while Peter waits outside.

Peter can hear the shower turn on and he decides to replace the bedlinen. Neal spent all day in between them, so it will nice to step in a nice clean bed.

When Neal re-enters the room, he looks better, some color has reappeared in his face.

‘Do you want to eat something?’

Neal seems to think about it, ‘yes, I´m not hungry, but I know it will be better if I eat something.’

Peter quickly reheats the soup June put in the fridge and he also hands Neal a bottle of water. Neal slowly spoons away the soup. When he is finished, his eyes are drooping from the effort and probably the drugs in his system.

‘Let´s get you to bed.’

Neal nods gratefully. He lets out a content sigh when he snuggles between the fresh linen and is out almost immediately.

Peter smiles, Neal will be alright in the morning.

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
